Jesus went home with Peter and saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and served them. That evening people brought to Jesus many who were demon-possessed. He threw the spirits out with just a word. He healed everyone who was sick. This happened so that what Isaiah the prophet said would be fulfilled: He is the one who took our illnesses and carried away our diseases. Now when Jesus saw the crowd, he ordered his disciples to go over to the other side of the lake. A legal expert came and said to him, “Teacher, I’ll follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens, and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Human One has no place to lay his head.” Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” When Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. A huge storm arose on the lake so that waves were sloshing over the boat. But Jesus was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, rescue us! We’re going to drown!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you people of weak faith?” Then he got up and gave orders to the winds and the lake, and there was a great calm. The people were amazed and said, “What kind of person is this? Even the winds and the lake obey him!” When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed came from among the tombs to meet him. They were so violent that nobody could travel on that road. They cried out, “What are you going to do with us, Son of God? Have you come to torture us before the time of judgment?” Far off in the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons pleaded with him, “If you throw us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” Then he said to the demons, “Go away,” and they came out and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned. Those who tended the pigs ran into the city and told everything that had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole city came out and met Jesus. When they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. (Matthew 8:14-34, CEB)
There is a lot happening here.
Peter’s mother-in-law is healed.
Others are healed.
A lawyer said they would follow, and Jesus responded with a cryptic message about home.
A disciple said to Jesus that they needed to bury their dead before following, and Jesus responded to let the dead bury their dead.
Jesus slept on a boat in a storm.
Jesus heals two men possessed by sending the demons into pigs, who killed themselves.
Jesus sleeping on a boat in a storm is what caught my attention. Having been on a boat in a storm, I understand the disciples’ worry. I was on a 25-foot sailboat in 6-7 foot waves. Which is probably similar to what was happening here. The boat was going up and crashing back down and it was unnerving.
Our captain had it under control and made a 90 degree turn into a harbor protected by a concrete wall without harming us. I still can hear the sound of the motor out of the water as we rose with each wave. Scary does not begin to describe it.
So I get what the disciples were thinking here. But Jesus was sleeping through the storm, which is something I can not fathom. If the boat is rising and crashing down, how was he sleeping? He was so sure nothing was going to happen that he relaxed so to let sleep come.
That is the message we need to hear. In the midst of the storm of life, we need to settle into the arms of God and know that no matter what happens, God is with us and the storm will fade. We are safe in the arms of our creator.
Do not let your little faith get in the way of our awesome God.
aSacredRebel 